Foreign Students

International Student Visa Services

DULA is approved by the US Citizen and Immigration Service (USCIS) for attendance by non-immigrant foreign students. The University will evaluate the student’s admissions application and, if the student meets all admissions criteria, DULA will issue the USCIS/SEVIS Form I-20.

In April 2002, the USCIS began the process of changing many of its rules relating to the average international applicant for admission. The most significant change that has gone into effect concerns the need to obtain USCIS approval before starting school. This requirement does not affect the student applying for student visas from other countries, as students in such situations have always had to obtain approval from a U.S. Consulate before coming to the United States, and such approval will continue to be sufficient in those situations. It does however affect people who enter the United States using tourist or other temporary visas, who then apply to the INS to switch to student status. Applicants must wait for a favorable INS decision before they may begin their studies. Also, such prospective students must make clear their intentions to change their visa status to a student visa immediately upon entry into the United States.

Additional admissions procedures are required for international students in need of an I-20 form. Such students are required to have valid passports for travel to, from and within the United States. They must also abide by all immigration laws and other U.S. Federal laws and California state laws. Foreign students must also submit:

Official transcript evaluations - foreign transcripts may need to be professionally translated and evaluated by a recognized evaluation service such as National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or Center of Applied Research and Education, Inc

Certificate of account balance - a bank account statement showing the current balance in U.S. dollars, or a completed Affidavit of Support (INS Form I-134) if sponsored by a third party

I-20 Form - if transferring from a U.S. institution as an F-1 student, a transfer release form from the institution must be submitted. International Student Advisor/SEVIS Compliance Officer in order for the student to be issued a new I-20 form

$100 I-20 processing fee

To better assist our international students, staff is always available for help with interpreting services and academic and non-academic counseling at no expense to the student.

Language Requirements for Foreign Students

(a) English language competency is required of all students seeking admission to the program taught in English. This is satisfied by scoring at least 61 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) internet based test (iBT), which also requires a minimum speaking exam score of 26 and a minimum listening exam score of 22, or a level 6 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam

(b) for those who shall complete the program in another language, a TOEFL iBT score of at least 45 must be obtained with a minimum speaking exam score of 18 and a minimum listening exam score of 15, or the student must have completed a two-year (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits) baccalaureate level education in an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or from an equivalent English language institution in another country. Applicants who do not satisfy this requirement may be considered for admission with English as a second language, but they must satisfy the proficiency requirement in English before beginning the clinical experience.

Alumni Testimonials

Thank you, Dongguk University, for providing a strong academic foundation in the study of Chinese and Western Medicine. The teaching staff are the best practitioners from their specialties. Class sizes are kept small, so that students will have one- on-one training with their teachers. With the education I received from Dongguk University, I was able to open my own clinic within two months after passing my licensing exam. I now have a clinic in the city of La Puente, with ten treatment rooms, specializing in anti-aging therapies.

During my years at Dongguk University Los Angeles, I’ve learned and experienced not only a profound knowledge of Oriental Medicine, but also the amazing results of acupuncture treatments on patients. DULA has excellent professors in various areas of Oriental Medicine as well as Western Medicine, and they inspire me to have enthusiasm in learning.